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UPDATE: 2 journalists dead after being shot during live TV news report; suspect in critical condition

(NEWS 1130) The man suspected of killing a reporter and a camera operator on live TV in Virginia this morning has shot himself according to state police.

The suspected shooter has been identified as Vester Lee Flanigan, also known as Bryce Williams, a former employee of the news station.

Video shows the fatal shooting of two TV station employees who were killed in an on-air shooting in central Virginia.

In the video from the Wednesday incident, a female reporter is interviewing someone about tourism on Bridgewater Plaza in Franklin County. She was smiling when suddenly at least eight shots were heard. The camera appeared to get dropped on the ground. The reporter can be heard screaming. Since the shooting, very disturbing video had been posted online, the account used to post the video has since been suspended.

Following the live hit, the station then switches back to a shot of an anchor back at the station, who has a shocked expression on her face.

In tweets and on its website, WDBJ-TV identified the two killed as Alison Parker and Adam Ward.

Anchor Chris Hurst says in tweets that although the two didn’t share their relationship publicly, they were in love and had just moved in together.

Hurst tweeted: “We were together almost nine months. It was the best nine months of our lives. We wanted to get married. We just celebrated her 24th birthday.”

He also tweeted about the second victim, Ward, saying that Parker “worked with Adam every day. They were a team. I am heartbroken for his fiancee.”

Gov. Terry McAuliffe has said the arrest of a suspect in the shooting is imminent. He says police are in pursuit of the suspect, believed to be a disgruntled employee of the station, on the highway.

The station is based in Roanoke, Virginia, and serves the southwest and central part of the state. The shopping mall where the incident happened is just off Smith Mountain Lake.